Selecting a Tortoise

One of the most important choices you'll
make when buying a Russian tortoise is "where can I buy a
healthy one?" .
There are quite a few choices. Following are a few and the pros
and cons of each. Followed by some advice on picking out a
healthy tortoise.

Pet shops: The most common place to buy a Russian tortoise is at
a pet shop. However, when choosing an animal from a pet shop the
most important consideration is the pet shop itself. Many pet
shops keep their exotic animals in deplorable conditions. But
there are many fine shops with very caring employees and owners.
These can be a wonderful source of supplies for animals as well
as purchasing new pets. The best way to find a good pet shop is
word-of-mouth. When you find what you think is a good store, pay
close attention to what it's like when you first walk through
the door. Does it smell clean? Does it look organized? Look at
the fish tanks...are the fish healthy or are other dead fish
floating around? Take a look the tortoises. Are different
species housed together?

Further down I will go into more detail about finding that
perfect Russian.

Reptile shows: Reptile shows are becoming increasingly popular
across United States. Many cities have monthly shows. Reptile
shows have many of the same problems as pet shops. Some of
vendors are excellent and others have very little knowledge
about their animals. Another drawback of the shows, is that many
animals are housed in close quarters with other species. This
can lead to cross contamination and health problems. However
with careful selection and asking good questions you can often
end up with a very healthy specimen.

The Internet:
The Internet can be broken down into three major categories.
1) individual sellers : On many of the lists you can find many
individuals that have animals for sale. One place to look is in
forums such as Kingsnake or Yahoo! group. When buying from the
individual is important to get references. There are those who
will sell you animals that are unhealthy and poor quality. Also
there are others that will take your money and never send you
the animal. It's always wise to purchase using your Visa card so
that you can dispute the charges if problems occur.
2) online stores and breeders: There are many fine online
stores. Once again is important to ask for references.
3) rescue groups: There are many rescue organizations that have
abused or unwanted tortoises that need new homes this can
actually be one of the best ways of obtaining an animal. However
some animals can be "flawed" in appearance or have health
problems. An excellent reptile rescue group is
The Turtle Rescue of Long
Island.

The biggest problem with ordering animals online is you can't
pick them out personally. It is always wise to get an agreement
up front on how it will be handled if the animal arrives in poor
condition. Be sure to ask if there are any guarantees.

Choosing a Healthy Tortoise

Now that you've decided on where to buy your animal, you need to
know what to look for to make sure it is healthy. If you're
buying from a pet shop, or reptile show, or any source for you
can see the animal before you purchase it....there is important
things to look for. If you bought it on line....check it
carefully when it arrives. Following is a checklist designed to
help you get started. It's not meant to be all-inclusive...the
bottom line is you have to trust your own feelings.

-- Look at the tortoises cage. Is it over crowded? Does it
smell? Are there more than one species of tortoise? Is it housed
with aquatics or worse with lizards? -- Does it have fresh food
and water?
-- Is it active?
-- Ask if you can hold it...how does it feel? Does it feel light
like an empty shell? Or does it feel surprisingly heavy? If it
is light it could indicate dehydration, malnourishment or heavy
parasite load.
-- Listen to it breathe...do you hear anything? Any rasping?
Gurgling? Snoring sounds? Abnormal sounds probably indicates
respiratory problems.
-- How about the shell? Is it relatively smooth (growth rings
are ok) or does it look lumpy? A lumpy shell is usually a sign
of improper diet. This can forecast future health problems with
the tortoise.
Does the shell have any white spots (that looks like exposed
bone) that could indicate dry shell rot. Are there any spots on
the shell that are flaking (another sign of shell rot). Are
there any soft spots or spots that have an odor? Some examples
of healthy shells can be found in the pictures throughout the
site.
-- Look into its eyes... are they clear. Shiny black? Very
alert? Or are the dull, sunken in or full of mucus.
-- Check its nose...is it dry and clean? Or is it plugged? Are
there bubbles?
-- Look at its mouth...does it look like it has a beak? Does it
look deformed?
-- How about its feet? Are the toenails overgrown?
-- Look at its tail... is a clean and dry? Or is a caked with
feces?

WARNING!!!!!

A Sick tortoise may only cost $40 to buy....but could end up
costing hundreds of dollars in vet bills. Remember a healthy
tortoise is not only a pleasure to own, but may outlive us both!

I hope this has been of help. Nothing will guarantee a perfectly
healthy animal. But if you follow these guidelines, you'll be
off to a great start.